Brake for children&#39;s carriages.



0 0 m 3 2 n a l. d e t n e a P No. 642,0l9.

BRAKE FOR CHILDREN'S CARRIAGES.

(Application filed July 8, 1899.)

STATES FFltlE PATnN'r BRAKE FOR CHILDRENS CARRIAGES.

s'rnclrrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,019, dated January 23, 1900.

' Application filed July 8, 1899. $eria1No. 723,173. (No model.)

To c'tZZ whom it; may OOH/067;:

Be it known that I, HARRY THOMSETT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Leicester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Childrens Carriages, (for which Letters Patenthave been applied for in Great Britain, No.25,145, dated November 29, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brakes for vehicles for carrying infants and small children, and has for its object to construct the brake in such a manner that the wheels are normally and automatically locked or braked against movement, so that such vehicles are not liable to the accidents which frequently occur when the said vehicles are left temporarily unattended.

The invention consists in the combination, with the wheels, of a brake automatically applied thereto and held in contact therewith and means between the said brake and the handles of the vehicle which can be grasped when taking hold of the handle to remove the brake off the wheels and permit the latter to revolve.

The invention will be understood from the following further description in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a childs mail-cart provided with automatically-applied brake mechanism constructed and operating according to this invention. Fig. 2 shows a modification in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail of the handle of the cart, flexible cord, and ring for pulling the latter taut to take off the brake.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of a childs mail-cart, B the two handles or shafts by which it is pushed or drawn and which extend underneath the body its full length, 0 the axle, and D the rubbertired wheels, one on each end of the latter, all of which may be of any of the well-known forms of construction.

E E are two brake-arms mounted one on each end of a rotatable rod or rock-shaft F, supported in eyes or bearings F F attached to the shafts or body of the cart. The rockshaft has fixed thereon by a set-screw G a collar G, from which project in opposite directions two arms G G", to one of which is at tached a spring H, the other end of which is fastened to the shaft B, while the other arm G has connected thereto a flexible cord or chain J, which passes through eyes or over runners B,fixed at intervals under the shaft, and the opposite or other end of the said cord or chain is attached to one end of a lever K, fulcrumed between two lugs K K formed integrally with a base plate K fixed by screws K to the under side of the shaft B. The said lever K extends under the end portion of the handle, which is grasped by the attendant when wheeling the cart, so that, as hereinafter described, it can be grasped at the same time to take off the brake. The spring II is arranged so that it is normally pulling the arm G toward it, the effect of which is to partially rotate the rock-shaft F, so that the brake-arms E E are pulled against the wheels D,so that the latter have the brake continually applied thereto until it is intentionally taken off by the attendant or user of the cart. This is effected by grasping the lever K at the same time as the handle 13, thus drawing the lever close up against the handie, so that its opposite end pulls and tightens the cord or chain J, which in its turn draws the arm G toward it, so that the latter partly rotates the rock-shaft F against the action of the spring II, and thereby removes the brake-arms E E from the wheels. Immediately the lever K is released the spring II draws the brake-arms toward and forcibly holds them against the tires of the wheels. A second collar L, fast on the rock-shaft F and provided with an arm L, to which a spring L is attached, the other end of the latterbeing connected to the shaft B, may, if desired, be employed to further assist in keeping the brake on the wheels, and the flexible cord J and lever K may also be duplicated on the other handle, if necessary.

Instead of the lever K, I may employ a ring M, Fig. 3, at the end of the flexible cord or chain, so that the finger of the attendant may be passed through the same when grasping the handle of the mail-cart and draw the cord or chain taut, so as to remove the brake, as hereinbefore described.

In Fig. 2 the brake mechanism is the same as herein described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 1, except that instead of a flexi ble cord wire-rod connections and intermediate pivoted arms are used. Between the arm G and the lever K wire-rod connections S S S are employed, and these rods are hooked into or otherwise fastened to eyes T in the lower ends of arms or plates T T T movably pivoted at their upper ends to thehandle B. (Shown only'in dotted line.) Upon the lever K being grasped and drawn up against the handle B, as hereinbefore described, it pulls the wire rod S. The latter draws the swing plate T toward it, so that it turns on its pivot, and acting through the other wire rods S S S the other plates T T are similarly actu ated to draw the arm G2 in the same direction, so that the rock-shaft F is partly rotated and the brake-arms E taken off the wheels.

Upon the lever K being released the spring H again applies the brake and restores the other parts to their original positions, as will be understood.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a vehicle, the combination with the body thereof, a handle, and the wheels, of a rock-shaft supported by the body, a brakearm arranged at each end of the rock-shaft and having one end secured to the latter and the other end arranged and adapted to be brought into engagement with the wheels,

and having one end secured to the latter and the other end arranged and adapted to be brought into engagement with the wheels, arms G G having connection with the rockshaft, a spring secured at one end to the arm G and at the opposite end to the body of the vehicle, an operating-lever arranged adjacent to the handle of the vehicle, and a connection between the lever and the arm G an arm L in connection with the rock-shaft and a spring secured at one end to the said arm and at the opposite end to a fixed part of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY THOMSETT.

Witnesses:

ERNEST SPENCE, E. N. LEWIS. 

